The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for automatically wrapping a cover material about a steering wheel of a vehicle such as an automobile car, a motorboat or the like.
Referring first to FIG. 34 of the attached drawings, there is shown a conventional steering wheel 1 for a vehicle. The steering wheel 1 has an axis 2 and has an outer peripheral section 3 and an inner peripheral section 4 in a plane extending perpendicularly to the axis 2 of the steering wheel 1. The steering wheel 1 has also a pair of side surfaces 5 and 6 by which the inner and outer peripheral sections 3 and 4 are connected to each other. The steering wheel 1 has a plurality of spokes 8 generally extending radially from the inner peripheral section 4 toward the axis 2.
It is to be noted that, although the steering wheel 1 illustrated in FIG. 34 has a circular cross-sectional configuration in a plane including the axis 2 of the steering wheel 1, the steering wheel may have a rectangular or polygonal cross-sectional configuration. It is further to be noted that, although the steering wheel 1 illustrated in FIG. 34 is substantially circular in the plane extending perpendicularly to the axis 2 of the steering wheel 1, and is continuous, the steering wheel may be annular or arcuate in the plane extending perpendicularly to the axis 2 of the steering wheel 1 and may be divided into two or ore sections.
Apart from the above, there is a case where a conventional steering wheel is wrapped by a cover material such as natural leather, synthetic leather or cloth. In the steering wheel, there are many cases where a cover material previously cut into a dimension capable of being wrapped about the steering wheel from an outer periphery thereof toward an inner periphery thereof is wrapped about the steering wheel in intimate or close contact therewith, and both lateral side edges of the cover material are sewn to each other while both the side edges of the cover material are abutted against each other at the inner peripheral section of the steering wheel.
There is also the following conventional cover material 10 as illustrated in FIG. 35 which is a developed view of the cover material. That is, the cover material 10 has an annular strip body 11 and a pair of side skirts 12 and 13 extending radially inwardly respectively from both lateral side edges of the annular strip body 11. Each of the pair of skirts 12 and 13 has a plurality of lugs 14 which converge on the axis 2 of the steering wheel 1 from appropriate locations on the inner peripheral section 4 thereof. That is, the lugs 14 extend radially inwardly from the radially inward edges of the respective inner and outer peripheral sections 12 and 13 for being wrapped respectively about the spokes 8 of the steering wheel 1.
The conventional cover material has the following disadvantages. That is, operation in which the cover material is wrapped about and adhered to, or is sewn to the steering wheel has been practiced manually, or has relied upon operator's hands. Accordingly, working performance or efficiency is low or is deteriorated. In order to make finish of wrapping superior, skill in required. The cost for manufacturing the steering wheel covered with the cover material increases correspondingly.
Further, as shown in FIG. 36, in the conventional steering wheel 1, the following wrapping method has been utilized. That is, the steering wheel 1 is covered with the cover material 10 through the adhesives. The entire cover material 10 is wrapped about and adhered to the steering wheel 1 while both the side skirts 12 and 13 of the cover material 10 are stretched toward the inner peripheral section 4 of the steering wheel 1. Both side edges of the respective side skirts 12 and 13 of the cover material 10 are abutted against each other on a center line of the inner peripheral section 4 of the steering wheel 1 as shown in FIG. 37.
In the above-described conventional wrapping method, a plurality of recesses 7 are formed in a peripheral portion along the outer peripheral section 3 of the steering wheel 1. A pair of hands of an operator have fingers which can be applied to the recesses 7. Thus, the following disadvantages arise. That is, in the case where the steering wheel 1 is covered with the cover material 10 in such a manner that both the side skirts 12 and 13 of the cover material 10 are stretched toward the inner peripheral section 4 of the steering wheel 1 while a uniform force is applied to the side skirts 12 and 13, a gap 9 occurs or is defined between each of the recesses 7 and a corresponding portion of the cover material 10, which is opposed to the recess 7. As time of use of the steering wheel 1 lapses, creases, slacking or loosening due to the recesses 7 occur in the cover material 10. Thus, a feeling of use of the steering wheel 1 is deteriorated.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for automatically wrapping a cover material about a steering wheel of a vehicle, which is capable of overcoming the aforesaid disadvantages.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of wrapping a cover material about a steering wheel of a vehicle, which is capable of overcoming the aforesaid disadvantages.